News Americas, PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, Tues. Aug. 23, 2011: Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of Foreign Affairs is insisting the state of emergency announced by the country’s prime minister will not affect the twin-island republic’s image.
His comments came Monday, a day after the announcement of a dusk to dawn curfew by PM Kamla Persad-Bissessar following the murder over the weekend of 11 people in what was deemed a drug related crime spree.
Minister Dr Suruj Rambachan, speaking to members of the media at his office in the International Financial Complex on Monday afternoon, said the move is government’s way of creating a climate for investors to come to these shores.
“I think what we are doing is creating an environment that will be more attractive to investors,” said Rambachan, as CNN carried the story on its news scroll and online about the declared state of emergency.
“As I said, the United Kingdom took care of its problems and they did so decisively to the point that people are going to court at night and they arrested and charged over a thousand persons in that matter. So I do not see the international image of this country will be affected in any way at all. I think instead intervention shows you are a courageous government, that you are strong,” he added.
His comments came as Minister of National Security, Brigidier John Sandy, reiterated that the state of emergency is to eliminate crime by going against gang members as well as drug and gun traffickers while getting weapons off the streets.
